MNEA Connects

Introducing, Pillar IV: Emotionally Upbeat Classrooms. This is the final episode in a 5-part series: Prosocial Education with Dr. Christi Bergin, Research Emerita and Director of the Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab and Dr. Jenn Foster, Sr. Prosocial Program Coordinator eMINTS National Center. Make sure you listen to all episodes introducing the pillars so you get a full picture of Prosocial Education.
 
In this episode, we dive into Pillar IV, discuss the research behind it, why that research matters, and what implementation in a classroom looks like. 
 
Contact us:  [email protected] and [email protected] 
 
For more information:  Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab – College of Education & Human Development and PAL Classrooms 2.0
 
To sign up as a Prosocial School in August 2025, follow this link, PAL Classrooms 2.0 Recruitment Form
 
Designing a Prosocial Classroom | Christi Bergin | W. W. Norton & Company – We’d like to do a giveaway to the first 10 teachers to listen and respond. Email [email protected] to enter your name in this giveaway!
 
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

We all have questions about what it means if the US Department of Education closes or is reduced–especially educators, who serve students and communities every day. A few of the Columbia MNEA Executive Team asks MNEA Professional Practice Director, Samantha Hayes, questions about this very topic. Samantha Hayes’ role at MNEA is working with Missouri’s State Education Agency–the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)--and she answers based on what she knows of what is currently happening and her forecasting of what could happen if more drastic cuts or changes to funding streams were to continue. This episode was recorded at the end of April 2025 and there may or may not be updates to this information by the time you listen. 
 
Items referenced in this episode: 
NEA Website: 
How Dismantling the Department of Education would Harm Students
Federal Education Funding by Congressional District
Have You Heard podcast with ideas referenced in this episode
“The Best Schools You’ve Never Heard Of”
“Taking America Back (to a Less Educated Past)”
 
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

Introducing, Pillar III: Teacher-Student Relationship. This is the latest episode in a 5-part series: Prosocial Education with Dr. Christi Bergin, Research Emerita and Director of the Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab and Dr. Jenn Foster, Sr. Prosocial Program Coordinator eMINTS National Center. Make sure you listen to all episodes introducing the pillars so you get a full picture of Prosocial Education.
 
In this episode, we dive into Pillar I: Praise, discuss the research behind it, why that research matters, and what implementation in a classroom looks like. 
 
Contact us:  [email protected] and [email protected] 
 
For more information:  Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab – College of Education & Human Development and PAL Classrooms 2.0
 
To sign up as a Prosocial School in August 2025, follow this link, PAL Classrooms 2.0 Recruitment Form
 
Designing a Prosocial Classroom | Christi Bergin | W. W. Norton & Company – We’d like to do a giveaway to the first 10 teachers to listen and respond. Email [email protected] to enter your name in this giveaway!
 
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

Samantha Hayes, MNEA Professional Practice Director, speaks with Nimble Founder and CEO, Lauren Dachelle, and Krista Pfeiffer, Nimble's Teacher Marketing Manager about Missouri’s new Job Board for educators. 
 
To visit Missouri’s Job Board, visit: https://app.hirenimble.com/connect/missouri
 
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

Introducing, Pillar II: Inductive Discipline. This is the latest episode in a 5-part series: Prosocial Education with Dr. Christi Bergin, Research Emerita and Director of the Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab and Dr. Jenn Foster, Sr. Prosocial Program Coordinator eMINTS National Center. You won’t want to miss this pillar! 
 
In this episode, we dive into Pillar I: Praise, discuss the research behind it, why that research matters, and what implementation in a classroom looks like. 
 
Contact us:  [email protected] and [email protected] 
 
For more information:  Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab – College of Education & Human Development and PAL Classrooms 2.0
 
To sign up as a Prosocial School in August 2025, follow this link, PAL Classrooms 2.0 Recruitment Form
 
Designing a Prosocial Classroom | Christi Bergin | W. W. Norton & Company – We’d like to do a giveaway to the first 10 teachers to listen and respond. Email [email protected] to enter your name in this giveaway!
 
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

Welcome to MNEA’s Top Takeaways from the April 2025 Missouri State Board of Education and MACCE Meetings
 
➡️State Board: School Funding Modernization Task force and Urban Education Commission 
➡️State Board: Fiscal Year 26 Budget Update
➡️State Board: Rule Approval on Repeat 
➡️State Board: Governmental Affairs Update
➡️MACCE Updates
 
The full MNEA report can be found at mnea.org/stateboard.
 
The full MNEA report can be found at mnea.org/stateboard.
 
If you have any questions or concerns about the State Board or the report, please don’t hesitate to contact Samantha Hayes, MNEA Professional Practice Director: [email protected]. 
 
Sign up for Otto’s Legislative Updates and Professional Practice Updates here. 

Introducing, Pillar I: Praise! This is the newest episode in a 5-part series: Prosocial Education with Dr. Christi Bergin, Research Emerita and Director of the Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab and Dr. Jenn Foster, Sr. Prosocial Program Coordinator eMINTS National Center.
 
In this episode, we dive into Pillar I: Praise, discuss the research behind it, why that research matters, and what implementation in a classroom looks like. 
 
Contact us:  [email protected] and [email protected] 
 
For more information:  Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab – College of Education & Human Development and PAL Classrooms 2.0
 
To sign up as a Prosocial School in August 2025, follow this link, PAL Classrooms 2.0 Recruitment Form
 
Designing a Prosocial Classroom | Christi Bergin | W. W. Norton & Company – We’d like to do a giveaway to the first 10 teachers to listen and respond.
 
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

MNEA's Legislative Director, Otto Fajen, and MNEA Professional Practice Director, Samantha Hayes, discuss moving education legislation in the 2025 Session of the Missouri Legislature. 
 
Referenced Bills and Executive Orders:
SB 360 - The Education Freedom Act
HB 711 - Open Enrollment
HB 607 - Grab Bag
Amendment for Rule Change to clarify language for EPPs in Missouri - *Correction from episode: State Board approved this amendment in March 2025; public comment not available. 
EO on Task Force for Foundation Formula
MNEA Members: Interested in becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Please contact Samantha Hayes.
 
Sign up for Otto’s Legislative Updates here. 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]

Welcome to MNEA’s Top Takeaways from the March 2025 Missouri State Board of Education Meeting
 
➡️A Resolution to Honor Dallas DeWeese as Missouri’s 2025 Milken Educator
➡️Hickman Mills C-1 Appeals MSIP Classification Status
➡️Consideration of Rulemaking to Amend 5 CSR 20-400.440: Procedures and Standards for Approval and Accreditation of Professional Educator Preparation Programs in Missouri
➡️Governmental Affairs Update
 
The full MNEA report can be found at mnea.org/stateboard.
If you have any questions or concerns about the State Board or the report, please don’t hesitate to contact Samantha Hayes, MNEA Professional Practice Director: [email protected].

Welcome to the newest MNEA Connects 5-part series: Prosocial Education with Dr. Christi Bergin, Research Emerita and Director of the Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab, and Dr. Jenn Foster, Sr. Prosocial Program Coordinator eMINTS National Center, and Katie Greer, Project Coordinator for the Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab. 
 
We discuss the introduction to Dr. Bergin’s journey to Prosocial, what Prosocial Education is, examples from the field, how to get involved in Prosocial today, and what is to come for Part 2-5. 
 
Contact us:  [email protected] and [email protected] 
 
For more information:  Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab – College of Education & Human Development and PAL Classrooms 2.0
 
To sign up for our project starting August 2025:  PAL Classrooms 2.0 Recruitment Form
 
Designing a Prosocial Classroom | Christi Bergin | W. W. Norton & Company – We’d like to do a giveaway to the first 10 teachers to listen and respond.
MNEA Members: Interested in being a part of the resolutions committee or becoming a host or guest on MNEA Connects? Follow this link: http://bit.ly/3kvyEFb or contact Samantha Hayes.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or [email protected]